Boys Basketball: Glen Mills' Alleyne shows what he knows in overtime

By MATT CHANDIK

Saturday, January 26, 2013

THORNBURY -- Growing up playing on the Chester playgrounds and in the city's Biddy leagues, there aren't many scenarios that Jah-bree Alleyne hasn't seen.

That's where he learned to fire the no-look passes that he zips through traffic into the hands of teammates for easy buckets. It's where he learned to play most of the time at only one speed, a speed akin to the Tazmanian Devil after six Red Bulls. And it's where he learned that sometimes, it's time to stop being a passer and start being the aggressor on offense.

While the circumstances under which he arrived at Glen Mills probably aren't ones he'd like to repeat and he'd undoubtedly love to be finishing up his career at Chester, there's also been a pretty big perk to playing for the Bulls. The senior point guard runs the show for Tony Bacon's group, earning minutes that few can get playing for the Clippers, and his game is maturing with every contest.

So when Alleyne got the opportunity to show off what he learned in Chester and what he's learned this year at the Mills Saturday in a nonleague classic with Upper Darby, he didn't miss the mark. After Jay're Jackson, the Bulls' leading scorer, fouled out in overtime, Alleyne dropped in five of his seven points in the extra frame to go with his 10 assists in helping the Bulls stave off the Royals, 72-65.

"I had to put the team on my back," Alleyne said, "and try to get the win."

Mission accomplished, but it's safe to say that Bacon aged a few years during this one. Glen Mills (11-6) led by as many as 19 when Richard Grant (three points, six rebounds) put back a miss, but the Royals (11-6) stormed back with a 27-7 run capped by Kuity Slanger's lefty layup with 5.5 seconds to go.

That run included an incredible five 3-pointers from James Fisher, the same James Fisher who had missed his first 11 shots of the game, including nine 3-point attempts. The senior's last trey whittled the Bulls' lead to 57-56, and after Quadir Rice (three points, five rebounds) swiped the ensuing inbounds play, Slanger drove for two of his game-high 20 points on a dazzling layup to give UD its first lead of the game.

"My coaches told me to stick with it and my teammates kept giving me the ball," said Fisher, who finished with 16 points and four rebounds. "And (the shots) eventually started dropping. After banking (an NBA-length 3) in, I felt like I couldn't miss anymore."

But Jackson had one final trick up his sleeve in regulation. He got the ball, drove the length of the court and earned a controversial trip to the foul line after Slanger was whistled for a foul. With the game hanging in the balance, Jackson clanged the first shot, but his aim was true on the second to provide free basketball for everyone.

The overtime was Alleyne's time to shine. His layup stretched Glen Mills' lead to 63-60 and by driving to the net more, drew four free-throw attempts. Three of them went in to help the Bulls seal the deal in a game that should bolster Glen Mills' District One résumé. If the Bulls want to make noise in the district tournament, though, they'll need Alleyne to keep playing like the seasoned vet he is.

"We'll go as far as he takes us," Bacon said.

Maybe, but getting more big days from big man Quadir Jones would help a lot. He was the recipient of a lot of those perfect Alleyne passes and they allowed him to show off his versatility inside. Jones finished with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 10 of which came in the second quarter, and if he can establish some consistency inside, the Bulls will be a force to be reckoned with. The absence of Royals big man Beni Toure didn't hurt either, but Jones showed a deft touch around the basket en route to setting his season high.

"My teammates just motivated me," Jones said of his big day. "We just don't stop fighting and keep going."

Always a good strategy.

In other nonleague action:

Springfield 40, Pottsgrove 31

Dan Rutecki was the Cougars' go-to guy yet again with another double-double, this time with a game-high 16 points to go with his 11 rebounds, while Derek Aungst chipped in six points to help Springfield (7-12) snap a six-game losing streak.

Kevin McCormick added five points for the Cougars.

Upper Merion 55, Marple Newtown 52

Jake McGee fired in a season-high 17 points for the Tigers (1-17), including a trio of treys, while Tim MacNeal tacked on 14 points and Corey Power chipped in a season-high eight points, but Marple Newtown fell victim to a 21-7 fourth-quarter run from the Vikings.

Geigle Classic Shootout

Harrisburg 71, Penn Wood 47

Playing without the services of the county's leading scorer in Tyree Bynum, the Patriots (11-6) were outscored 36-15 in the middle quarters and couldn't rally late despite an 11-point, seven-rebound night from Secean Johnson at Reading High.

Malik Jackson tied for the game-high with 16 points, while Gemil Holbrook had 11 points for PW.

Central League

Penncrest 40, Conestoga 32

Eddie Baxter dumped in 11 of his 12 points in the first half to help the Lions (14-5, 8-5) surge to a 22-11 lead. Rahmi Halaby finished the night with 11 points, and Kalvin Simpson dumped in eight points to help Penncrest snap a two-game skid.